Emma had always been a hardworking and dedicated student, studying for a degree at the local university while working part-time as a cashier at a nearby supermarket, to earn some extra cash. At first Emma had felt a burning pain in her right hip. The pain kept getting worse. It got to the point where Emma was thinking about quitting her job at the supermarket. Image Emma decided to see her GP. “I am 25 years old but I can barely walk, the pain in my hip is so sore. It is getting really hard for me to move around, to get to my job and study through the week” she told the GP. The GP explained that she was far too young to worry about any type of bone condition and that she should rest as much as possible, take pain killers when needed and the trouble should resolve itself with time. Emma could feel that this wasn’t a simple injury, it was something deeper. Yet, she thought that the doctor knew best. She convinced herself that nothing could seriously be wrong with her at such a young age. As the months went by, Emma’s pain grew worse, she began to feel it in her feet, ankles and hips. She went to see other doctors but none of them seemed to take her concerns seriously. All she was given was more painkillers. Emma cried herself to sleep, worrying that no one would listen to her. Even her family, who were supposed to support her, couldn’t understand what she was going through. Eventually, two years later, after struggling through and when Emma’s mental health had started to worsen because of her constant pain and worry, she told her close friend, Jane, about just how low she was feeling. Jane agreed to join her at her next GP appointment. After another round of new tests, the GP told Emma the news she had been dreading, but also suspecting, for a long time: she had arthritis. "Arthritis? At my age?!" Emma exclaimed and her heart dropped, feeling relieved to have some new information but confused and saddened at the same time. The GP explained that while arthritis is more common in older people, young people can still be affected by the disease and the lack of a clear and timely diagnosis can lead to poor mental health for some people. “If not for your efforts to seek answers, you probably wouldn’t have had a diagnosis until much later.” With a diagnosis, medication and recommended physiotherapy to manage her symptoms, Emma’s health improved. She was also given details of support groups, which helped Emma connect with other people her age who lived with arthritis. Over the following years, Emma’s life changed for the better. She was able to continue her studies and manage her arthritis with the support of friends and family. Emma hugged her friend Jane tightly, "I can't believe how much better I feel now, thank you for being by my side," she said. This article was published on 2024-08-22
